Tale as Old as Time
by MickeyandMinnieM
Summary: A modern take and combination of the Disney Beauty and the Beast and the original fairy tale. This proves that love is truly a tale as old as time and can over come anything, no matter what time period it takes place in.


**Hi! If you're searching for Walt Disney's Fantasmic High School of the Arts, I'm sorry to say that this isn't part of that. We will be updating the other story soon. For those searching for that explanation of the very long and ridiculous wait will be explained. This is something that I typed up for a creative writing class about a year ago. It might not be up to standards since quite a bit of time has passed! I hope you enjoy this. Please leave reviews and let me know what you think! Thank you for taking the time to read! -Minnie M.**

Once Upon a Time, not so long ago, there lived a man. He had been the CEO of a huge company that prioritized in cell phones, accessories, and more. He had everything that he could wish for: three beautiful daughters, two clean cut sons, and a huge mansion with a bountiful number of servants. His family was his life. He loved his children, to the expense of spoiling them rotten, unable to say no, especially to his daughters.

Although she could have anything to her heart's content, his youngest daughter, Paige, chose to spend her time in the mansion's library reading. Out of the three daughters, Paige was always found to be the most silent, but also the most beautiful, and since she was born, friends of the family had begun calling her "the little beauty."

When she was seven a politician from France had come to the household with his ten year old son, upon first seeing her the boy had called her, "ma petite belle." The nickname had stuck with the girl. As she grew up the name became a prophecy. Her skin was a soft pale, her chestnut brown hair was often pulled back into a ponytail. To many this brought attention to her bright hazel eyes, but to Belle the ponytail made it easier to keep her hair out of her eyes as she longed over her books. Beauty was only in the eyes of the beholder and Belle chose to focus on practicality.

Belle's personality matched the title that was given to her. While her sisters, Brittney and Miley, went around to night clubs, Paige stayed home, speaking long into the night with her father about his company. Since a young age, her father would often seek her advice on the latest trends for his latest phone design or ideas. Belle was always patient, outgoing, and volunteered at the local library. Her sisters would wrinkle their noses in disgust as Belle would leave the house to go to the public library to help shelve books and handle the children's section.

The family's company, O'Hara Electronics, was looking up under Belle and her father's watchful gazes. The company seemed stable and was blossoming from what used to be her father's dream as he designed phones and inventions in his basement turning into profit. When strangers and who he thought as friends scoffed at him, his hard work and dedication made his dream a reality. Allowing him to provide for his family. Until one day tragedy struck. It was March of 2014 when the stock market dropped surprisingly, for the first time since the Great Depression completely crashing to the ground, with O'Hara Electronics crumbling under the weight.

Some big named companies were able to shake off the crash, suffering greatly, but many had completely collapsed, unable to gain a steady grip. Although Belle and her father had prepared a plan in case something had happened to the company, they found themselves in the middle of a pile of rubble. Samsung and Apple had just released their newest products, and Blackberry would release a new device soon. No one wanted an O'Hara product, not with their wallets stretching so thin.

The O'Hara family lost their mansion, their business, and their daily routine. Originally from the top floor of New York City's skyscrapers, the family found themselves in a small house in the middle of Kansas City, Missouri. Brittney and Miley were disgusted, they had to give up their servants, make their own food, clean up after themselves, share a room, and to them the worst thing possible go to public school! The twin boys were sad to leave their friends, but under Belle's constant care, looked forward to a change in scenery. The two eight year olds thought of it as an adventure. Belle was saddened to part with her childhood home, but was glad to be with her family. She knew that their father had tried his best and that was all that mattered to her.

"Ma petite Belle!" She heard her father come down the steps of the small house. The house had three bedrooms in the upper portion, and then a small room in the basement. Miley and Brittney were disgusted with the concept of sleeping in a room without a window, and it was too small for the two boys to share. Belle's father had offered to sleep down there, but Belle had heard his grunts many times in the middle of the night as he passed by the library in New York. Though he didn't show it, she knew that his older age was getting to his body.

"Papa, be careful!" Belle walked out of her room, book in hand as her father continued to walk down the steep creaky wooden steps. It had been four months since they had moved to Kansas City. During that time Belle settled down and set up her room. Pictures of her family scattered the walls and books that she could not dare leave behind in the mansion were in a pile on a small desk that sat in the corner.

"If they're safe enough for you to go down, then they are definitely safe enough for me," Her father chuckled at her concern. He smiled lovingly at her, she was almost an exact replica of his late wife who had passed away a few years after the boys were born. The last two years of her fight against breast cancer had been hard on the family. Her absence still weighed heavily upon his heart. "Don't worry, I have a few more years before my body will betray me. Your uncle called me today, he said that he has something to offer me. I wanted to talk to you about it first." The man walked into her room, sitting on the black desk chair that he had given her after saving it from his old office. "It's still so comfortable."

"Thank you again, Papa," Belle sat on her bed as her father violently coughed, taking a Kleenex packet out of his pocket, a trade from his silk handkerchiefs, he put a tissue to his mouth. "Papa, I really think that you should get somebody to take a look at that cough."

"It's just a small cold," The man shook his head fondly. "That's not the reason that I came to speak with you though. Your uncle is convinced that he's figured something out, something that can save the company. He wants us to expand like Apple and Samsung to computers and televisions, not just phones. I think that he may be right, and I think that we could pull it off. I think that we can do it. He wants me to go to a convention next week; we can showcase our idea and make a few contracts with manufacturers. He has it all drawn out and planned."

"That's wonderful!" Belle was happy for the future of her father's company, but was disappointed at her father's soon departure. She knew that her uncle had amazing ideas, and she truly believed that this could save the company her father had worked so hard for. She had watched as a young girl when her father had finally succeeded with his business and to see him regain that was something that Belle would give anything for.

"Is there anything that you want me to get you while I'm in New York? Your sisters have asked for the latest outfits and jewelry, and your brothers wished for toy soldiers. Is there anything that I can get for you?" The father asked.

"Just come back home safely," Belle's voice was soft as she asked for her father's safe return. Heart warmed at his daughter's concern, her father asked again for a request from his youngest daughter. "If you will be so persistent then I guess I shall ask for a simple rose."

The ex-CEO agreed to his daughter's request and a week later, left for the convention. Due to the lack of funds, the man had to drive his car on a nineteen hour drive up to the city. When the sky grew dark, the man found himself to be upon a lonely road. The man scrunched his forehead in confusion. Perhaps he had taken the wrong turn back at the state sign in Ohio? His old Honda was surrounded by a dark forest, the trees stopped him from being able to safely turn around.

His car began to sputter as they reached the edge of the forest, leading to a large mansion, almost looking like a medieval castle. The car's engine died down as he reached to gates, the father grew worried as he tried to turn the car back on, but all he could hear was the clicking of the engine. The man exited the car and looked up at the building in front of him.

The dark ominous windows loomed over him as he took hesitant steps towards the front door. As he raised his hand to knock, the blood red door opened before his hand made contact. The man felt his heart pick up as he called out, hoping to get a response from the homeowner for help, "Hello?"

The entrance room led to a large dining room, with a variety of dinner items set out on the table, a plate setting was placed out, a note waiting upon the china. The man glanced down and read the cursive letter written upon sturdy stationary, "Dear Monsieur O'Hara, Take this time to rest from your travels. Enjoy this feast. –Master of the House."

The note confused him, for how could he have been expected? He was only there due to a broken down car, not a handwritten invitation. The man grew worried. After half an hour of waiting for the "master of the house" to show up, the man sat down in his seat. The food in front of him looked tempting. He felt as if he was in no danger, even if a small part of his brain was on edge. He began to eat once he heard his stomach protest against his mind, allowing him to give in to the temptation. The food was delicious and he soon found his eyes betraying him, shutting without his consent.

The man woke up to the chirps of birds, when he opened his eyes he was looking at an elegant window. He was half convinced that last night had been a dream due to a hunger induced hallucination. He was surprised to find himself lying in a bed, in what appeared to be a guest room. Satisfied that the night before had indeed not been a dream, the man got out of the bed, a yawn escaped from his mouth and he took a look at his wrinkled clothing. As his gaze wandered around the room, he noticed another note, like the one before. "Monsieur O'Hara, I hope that you find these living quarters acceptable. You can find clothes that I believe will suit your tastes in the drawers next to the bed. Breakfast has been laid out for you in the dining room. I hope that you enjoyed your stay here, and continue to have safe traveling. –Master of the House."

The man searched around the room in vain to find something that would tell him of this person who had been generous enough to feed and clothe him. He was still on edge though, for this person somehow knew his name and knew that he would be coming, what else did they know? Once satisfied that the Master of the House didn't mean him any harm though, the man changed and found his way to the dining room, where a feast like the night before was set out.

The man indulged himself, and began his search for the Master of the House, to thank him for the hospitality the he or she had bestowed. After searching for a few minutes, the man had found himself in what he believed to be the backyard. It was covered in rose bushes, with a wooden gazebo in the middle next to a small lake. Different shades of color contributed to the majestic view it provided. It was like a picture of a woodland fairy scene out of one of Belle's books, the man thought to himself. With Belle in mind, the man took a closer look at the roses, they were in full bloom and more beautiful than any he had ever seen before from a typical street vendor or flower shop. Each was utter perfection, before he knew what he was doing the man found himself removing a rose from the bush, separating it from its brothers and sisters.

The sky itself seemed to darken, as a loud roar rang through the pleasant background music of the birds, silencing even the rippling waves of the pond. The man looked up to see a beast, a monster so hideous that he hid his eyes in fright. The thing spoke with a gruff violent voice that took the very breath from the man who was still holding onto the rose, "I give you shelter, food, and clothing and yet you steal from me?" The man shook in fear as the monster looked as if he wanted to tear him limb from limb. "Monsieur O'Hara, answer me."

"I'm sorry, it was for my youngest daughter," The man explained his tale to the monster, his voice weakened as the monster's cold eyes devoured him. He wished to ask how the beast seemed to know him. All the questions that he wished to ask once he found the master flew from his mind, leaving him shaking.

The monster seemed to think about what the man was telling him for a while, and nodded as he made a decision, "Since it was for your daughter, bring her to me. Any one of them will do to fix the trouble that you have caused me. Your reputation has you as an honest man, promise me to come back with your daughter in three days time. If you do not come back, I can assure you that no matter what security system you try to hide behind they are nothing after cutting a few wires." The beast paused as he thought over something. "Also don't tell the police of our little meeting, after all who would believe you?"

"You want me to bring my daughter?" The man already knew that after hearing his tale, Belle would volunteer. She'd believe herself to be to blame and sacrifice her life, for him to live. If he promised to bring one back, at least he got to see his family one last time, even if it meant coming back alone. "I promise that I'll return in three days."

The man's car had been restored to its former glory as he left the castle, guilt biting at him from within. If he had turned around before leaving the castle like mansion he would have seen the monster, as he called him, gripping the door in fear and hope.

By the time the man reached home, the sun was setting beneath the clouds, casting a golden haze across the land. Once inside his two eldest daughters ran in eager to see what their father had brought for them. Instead of bags from Tiffanys they were disappointed to see him empty handed with only a rose. Belle however, overjoyed at her father's return, hugged the older man and thoroughly checked him from head to toe. His hair looked as if he spent the ride pulling at it, something she knew he did when worried. His mouth was in a grimace, and his eyes were a haunted hazel.

"Papa, what are you doing back so early?" Belle questioned to her father who seemed to be shaking like a leaf. "What's wrong?" Belle led her father to the small kitchen table and sat him down, her anxiety growing as her father's face grew even paler, his eyes growing wider.

The man opened his mouth and the story of the last twenty-four hours rushed out, his oldest daughters stared as if he had gone insane. "I think he's finally lost it," Brittney chuckled to Miley.

"I mean he did choose Paige as his favorite," Miley whispered back, glaring at her younger sister's profile as she tried to calm down their father. "He got her a dumb rose, when we asked first."

"Papa," Belle kneeled next to her father's feet, coaxing him into taking a few sips of tea to calm his nerves. After gaining a bit more color in his face and seeing his breathing slow to a normal rate, she asked him to repeat his tale.

"One of your daughters?" Miley screeched. "You better not consider me! Paige is the one who asked for the dumb weed, make her go!"

Brittney smirked at the girl kneeling at their father's feet, "Looks like you're beast bait."

The father opened his mouth to deny his oldest daughter's accusations, but Belle glanced up at her sisters and interrupted him, "It is my fault and I will fix this. I will go with Papa to meet this person, and if he wants me to stay with him then I will."

"Shouldn't this categorize as kidnapping?" Ryan asked as he colored at the dining room table. "Daddy always said that if someone tried to take you to scream as loud as possible."

Steven looked up from his coloring book, "If it's kidnapping then why isn't Belle screaming?"

Belle kept her head up for her brothers, the fear inside of her made her stronger. She bent down to her brothers' heights at the table, "I'm going willingly, I may be gone a long time, but know that I love you."

Steven and Ryan shared a look at one another, Steven opened his mouth, the blue crayon in his hand quivered as he spoke, "That's what Mommy said before she left, that she loves us. Will you be gone as long as Mommy?"

Belle held in a sob at the innocent question, "I'll see you again, I promise." Belle kissed the top of the boys' heads and put her arms around their almost identical shoulders.

Three days later the girl found herself in front of a large looming castle like mansion, the wind nipped at her nose as her father opened the car door for her, his eyes begging her to go back and leave him behind. As they entered the parlor, the doors swung shut behind them, the master waiting on a chair. "Have you come on your own free will ma petite belle?"

"Yes," Her voice was steady as her eyes took in the furry animal in front of her, a slight confusion settled in her stomach due to his wording.

"You may leave monsieur," The beast growled as he motioned for the girl to follow him. The master could see the fear in both of his guests, what they couldn't see was the fear within him.

"Belle, change your mind!" Her father yelled as Belle's feet began to lead her behind the master. "It's not too late, I'm old. You still have so much to live for than to be the slave of this beast!"

"Sir, I recommend you leave before I get angry and throw you out," The beast was cautious not to touch the beauty next to him, but shielded her from her father's gaze with his arm. He did not want to scare her more than she was, but neither did he want her to change her mind and leave with her father. He knew he would let them both go, if they chose to. His threat was never serious. He could never use his claws the way they were designed to be used, to be a murderous blood thirsty beast.

The man's cries fell on deaf ears as his daughter put up a brave wall, "Goodbye Papa." Belle heard the doors slam shut behind her father and looked up at the thing next to her, her father was right to call him a beast. Fur covered every inch of his body that she could see, fangs grew out of his mouth, claws came out of his hands and feet. Although he looked like a monster, he was dressed like a man. He wore a light blue button up shirt, with a pair of black slacks that hid most of his legs, but she could see how the hair underneath bunched together, creating a pillow between the material and the leg.

"Your room is this way," His voice softened as he spoke to the girl. He kept his gaze forward, worried about frightening her. He had to admit that he was surprised, this Belle came willingly, she didn't cry or shriek as she saw him. Instead she kept her head up, even as she said goodbye to her father, a task that even he wasn't sure that he could handle. After all his own father had left when he was young. "This place is your home now, you are free to wander around where you'd like to. Anywhere except the West Wing, those are where my chambers are and I trust you to respect my privacy. I only ask one thing of you, to join me for dinner every night at seven in the dining hall."

The girl listened to his demands, her thoughts became more mixed up, hadn't he taken her from her home? Hadn't he forced her to leave her family? Yet instead of treating her like a prisoner, he treated her like a guest. Once she entered her bedroom he mumbled a parting word and left her to do what she wished.

The room around her was grand, the wallpaper was a light blue, white stencil linings of clouds floated from wall to wall. The king size bed looked comfortable to the young beauty as she sat on it, taking in her surroundings. The bare wooden floor was a deep brown, the walls were bare except for the sky and clouds. The only furnishings in the room were the bed, an oak cabinet, a vanity, a small clock, and a bare bookcase. Belle longingly looked at the bookcase, wondering if there were any books in the magnificent mansion.

A note caught Belle's eye as she stood up from the bed to make her way over to the bookcase. She gently took the note off the third step of the bookcase and read it, "A book is a way to another land. You may wish to partake in a few adventures during your time here. My library is only down the hall, take whichever books you wish and you can fill this bookcase with those tales. –Master of the House."

Belle took a glance at the clock and noticed that it was close to seven, the library would have to wait for either after dinner or the next day. Belle felt her feet shake as she began to leave her room going into the unknown. Belle was worried, she didn't know who this man was. What exactly was he? If she was to guess she'd probably consider a distant cousin of Bigfoot, perhaps a crossover between a man, a wolf, and a lion. He acted like a man, he spoke, walked, and thought like a man, but his voice was gruff, his skin hairy, and a tail could be seen spiraling down from out of the back of his pants.

When Belle entered the room, the master was already sitting in his seat, the food sat on the table. The table was covered with far more than two people could eat, there was ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, pie, pudding en flambé, and grey stuff that Belle couldn't name, although when the beast noticed Belle's questioning look, he tried to assure her that it was delicious. The dinner was silent besides remarks every now and again from the beast. Belle's appetite was small as she poked at her food, the thoughts of the last twenty-four hours ran through her mind.

"Will you take a walk to my gardens with me?" The beast finally asked as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. Belle nodded, staying silent as he led her through two glass doors that led to a beautiful backyard. Her eyes widened at the scene before her, with the sun setting it was a scene out of one of her fairytales. She could almost see fairies dancing in the trees, or hear a mermaid's song from the lake. She heard a slight whisper from behind her, "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," Belle felt her face smile for the first time since her foot passed the gates earlier that day; she yearned to touch a finger to one of the roses, to walk among the edges of the pond.

"It's my sanctuary," The beast admitted. "When I become frustrated I come out here and sit among nature." A bird flew next to the couple, and landed peacefully on a tree branch, playing a happy little tune that lightened the mood between the captor and captive. "I understand that this can be confusing, and I'm sorry."

Belle felt her confusion increase as the man apologized, "I have a few questions that I was hoping to ask you." She looked down at the ground and played with her hands.

"I have one to ask you as well," The beast mentioned and Belle looked up encouraging him to go on. "This is going to sound insane, but will you marry me?"

Belle took a step back, panic and fear replacing the confusion from earlier, as she tried to answer, her voice stuttered. She simply shook her head, a thousand questions at the tip of her tongue.

"That's what I thought," The beast frowned sadly. "I'll leave you to your own company then."

"Wait!" Belle spoke up quickly before the master could turn away from her. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what to call you. What's your name?"

The beast's eyes grew hard, a deep self-loathing played from behind his eyes, "No one has called me by my name in years, it's no longer relevant. I am what I am, your father was right, I'm a beast and if you wish to call me anything, that is the name that I might as well answer to." Beast turned away from the girl and walked back into the mansion, heading into the west wings.

Belle was left behind, her mind reeling. The next few weeks followed in this pattern. Belle spent her days in the library, her nights were spent having dinner with Beast, and then walking out into the garden, where he would continuously ask her to marry him.

The dinners were going well, now that Belle felt more comfortable to speak to him. They were actually able to carry conversations, and Belle began to realize that unconsciously, she had made a close friend with Beast. Every night though after the joyful dinner, Beast would take her into the garden and ask her to marry him. Each time he left her after she refused.

One day as they walked out into the garden debating whether all modern popular music was distasteful, Belle stopped Beast before he could ask, "Please I beg of you, don't ask today. It hurts me to say no, but can't you see that I can't say yes?"

"Why does one word hurt you?" Beast asked. "No is two letters, yet they hurt you to leave your mouth?"

"Because it hurts you, my friend," Belle frowned at the thought of the weeks of rejection. Each time she had hurt him, yet each day he came back and asked the same question.

"Why do you care what hurts a useless beast, a monster?" Belle sent a glare at her friend, he had no self-confidence and she defended him each and every time he tried to put himself down.

"I've seen monsters," Belle spoke up. "Real monsters, men who will stop at nothing to get what they want, what they desire. They are the real monsters, they are greedy and self-obsessed; you are nothing like them. I could never be friends with a monster, a monster would never give me free range of a library, talk to me about everything under the sun, he would never make me feel the way I do about you. You may see yourself as a beast, but in my eyes, you are much more than that."

"Ma petite Belle please, marry me," With that Belle held in a groan, as again she shook her head. "What stops you from saying yes?" Beast asked, noticing for the first time, the pain behind his friend's eyes.

"I can't get married and be happy, while my family is worried about me," Belle admitted. A small part of her seemed to smile at the thought of marrying her friend, but a larger part felt guilt as she thought about her promise to her brothers, her father's face the last time she saw him, and her sisters.

"What if I let you go home? For three days, you may return, but not a day longer. I don't know what you've done to me Belle, if you put me under some spell, but I feel that if you were to go for any longer, I'd literally die from longing," The thought of Belle leaving brought a sinking feeling to the beast's stomach, but at her unrestrained smile, he knew that it was best. "But you have to promise to return."

"I promise," Belle threw her arms around the Beast's neck, hugging him in thanks. "I'll always return to you my friend."

The next day Beast watched his friend leave the old mansion, driving away in an old 1967 Chevrolet Impala. That car hadn't been taken out of the mansion since his change, Beast shook his head at himself, refusing to think of the night that everything changed. His mind focused on what he would do without his beauty at his side.

Belle felt a yawn escape her mouth as she finally pulled into the driveway of her old home in Kansas City. Everything seemed the same, her two younger brothers were kicking a soccer ball back and forth in the front lawn. Two yells of surprise as they saw her rang out and she found herself being tackled by the twins. "Belle!"

"I told you that I'd come back, didn't I?" Belle smiled, but in the back of her mind she felt a pulling as she wondered what her dear friend was doing.

The loud blast of a song from a whiney voice had Belle wishing to run, yet staying in her place with her younger brothers, knowing that her sisters were on their way. A pink Slug Bug pulled into the driveway, Miley and Brittney exited, singing the lyrics as loud as their lungs would let them, "There's a party in the U.S.A!"

As the two girls noticed Belle they stopped, their mouths gaping open in disbelief. Brittney was the first to gain control of her voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain everything later, but first I need to speak with Papa," Belle heard the front door to the house open and saw a familiar old face smiling back at her.

Her father seemed to age since she had last seen him, the lack of sleep from worrying night after night left its mark on his face. The man ran out faster than a man of his age should and embraced his youngest daughter, tears escaped from his eyes at what he considered a miracle. He had almost convinced himself that he would never see his little Belle ever again. Once he let her go from his grip he spoke up, "How did you ever get away from that beast?"

Belle smiled at her family, knowing that more than likely they would never believe her and she began her tale, explaining from anything since that first night. She told them of their budding friendship and how he let her visit them, but she left out his nightly proposals. Something inside of her made it feel as if it was private and she couldn't tell them.

Two nights passed, the next day Belle was to go back to Beast's mansion, home. Belle was surprised at herself, wondering when did she begin to think of his mansion as home? As Belle began to pack for the next day her sisters wandered into her room. Both girls had recently gotten short haircuts, due to what they considered to be Hollywood trends.

"Belle, don't leave us yet," Miley begged as she sat on her younger sister's bed. "We have a Justin Bieber concert tomorrow and all of us can go, us three sisters to see one of the most amazing boys in the world!"

"I made a promise," Belle bit her lip as her sisters tried to plead with her, they had never cared about her before. She didn't want to break her promise, Justin Bieber wasn't worth hurting her friend.

"I doubt that beast of yours would care if you were late one night, plus I'm sure Papa would prefer you to stay," Brittney mentioned as she opened Belle's jewelry box and began to sort through it. "Once you're gone again can I borrow this?" She asked holding up a green emerald necklace that Belle had received for her sixteenth birthday from a distant relative.

Belle nodded to her sister and sighed, "I guess one night wouldn't hurt." Belle felt like hiding her face as her sisters squealed in delight, Beast's voice echoed through her mind as she made her promise.

"You won't regret it!" Miley yelled, little did she know that Belle already was.

Screams from preteen girls up to thirty year olds gave Belle a migraine as she tried to figure out how her sisters had talked her into going to a concert, never-the-less a Justin Bieber concert? Belle smiled as she remembered the conversation that Beast and she recently had about pop music including Mr. Bieber himself. He and she had shared a similar opinion; Bieber's music left much to be desired.

The star was thirty minutes late to the stage, and the crowd was beginning to get ugly, Belle turned to her sisters and tried to speak up, Beast's voice whispering memories into her mind. "Guys I think that I should probably be going."

Both sisters looked at each other in alarm and yelled at the same time, "You can't do that!" Brittney yelled over the crowd.

"Papa won't let us stay if you're not here!" Miley said as she sidestepped a woman who had almost walked into her. Brittney glared at her for letting their secret out.

Realization washed over Belle, "The only reason you wanted me to stay was so that Papa would let you go to this concert? You didn't care about me, just about the concert." When neither of the girls denied it, Belle turned away and felt her legs run to the Impala, feeling glad that her sisters had insisted on taking separate cars. Belle jumped into the driver's seat, feeling a pang of guilt at leaving without saying goodbye to her Papa. She turned the key of the ignition and sped up on the highway, on her way home to her beast.

Belle had made it to the dark mansion as the sun began to rise. As she parked the car in the driveway, her heart pounded in her chest, warning her that something wasn't right. The front door opened without any hesitation under Belle's hand. She called out for her friend, but heard no reply. When her search of the inside of the mansion yielded to no results, Belle searched outside in the garden. She felt her breath hitch at the sight. Her beast, her best friend, laid on the ground, a rose in his paw, his chest gave the proof that he was still breathing, but barely.

"No!" Belle felt the words leap out of her chest as she ran and kneeled next to her friend.

At the sound of her voice the beast opened his stunning blue eyes and stared longingly at her. He was ready to go, and first thought that when he heard Belle's voice that it was an angel coming to claim him, "At least I got to see you, one last time." His voice was soft, almost without a growl and for the first time Belle surprisingly heard the hint of a French accent.

"Don't say that," Belle put a hand on his forehead, brushing the sandy colored fur out of the way. A slight sob broke through her voice at seeing her friend so hurt. "You're going to be alright, after all if this is the last time you see me how will you marry me?"

"You'll marry me?" Beast's voice was just a whisper, as his eyes began to close. He tried to fight it, but it was becoming too much.

"Of course, I love you," Belle laid a gentle kiss onto her lover's cheek; she opened her eyes surprised as her lips met the smooth skin of a man, instead of the hairy rough skin of her beast.

"Ma petite Belle, you did it!" Lying in her arms was no longer the animal looking being she had fallen in love with, instead a handsome man with sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes stared back at her.

"I did what?" Belle stared in confusion, the man in front of her had the same eyes as her beast, had his sly grin that melted her heart, and his voice hid that slight French accent that she had heard before.

"You broke the spell," the man pulled the girl into his arms, holding her close to him. "I'm not sure if you remember this, but we have actually met before. I was just a ten year old foreigner with my father; we had visited your family."

Belle remembered the boy fondly, the boy who had knighted her with her name, "Adam?"

The man smiled and nodded excitedly, glad to be remembered, "Once we left, we had encountered what would be considered a hobo at our hotel door. My father had called the police to escort her away. She then claimed to have put a spell on me to save me from my father's mistakes. My father had thought she was insane, except the next morning I woke up looking like an animal." Belle couldn't help, but gasp in wonderment at the tale her love was spinning. "The only way to break the spell was to get a girl who was true at heart to agree to marry me, no matter how hideous I looked. I was very surprised to find out that it'd be you ma petite Belle, to save me from that transformation."

"You didn't plan me coming then?" Belle asked curiously as she stayed within his arms, trying to wrap her mind around the sudden change from beast to man, from person she loved to old friend.

"Not quite, I heard about your father's convention in the news and wanted to at least see him, even if he couldn't see me. My father locked me away in here, and it had been a long time since I had seen an actual face not the hideous monster in the mirror. With a bit of technological advancement I was able to deter him about half an hour from his trip. It wasn't too terribly long out of his way," Adam blushed and for once looked guilty. "It was worth it though, for now I'm here with you."

Belle blushed and looked down as Adam stared lovingly at her, when she looked up she asked a question that had been on her mind, "Now that you're back, what do we do now?"

"I know that you agreed to marry me, but I should probably get your papa's permission," Adam let out a nervous chuckle.

The two lovers left the mansion that now sparkled, and in the Impala went to fetch Belle's father and brothers. Once Belle's papa had seen the man behind the beast he had consented to the wedding, Belle's younger brothers were glad to have her back in their lives and were excited to be the ring bearers in the wedding, although they were a little disappointed when told that they didn't actually get to dress up as bears. Belle's sisters however both went off to have unsuccessful singing careers and didn't really try to contact their younger sister out of pride and envy. For Belle and her beast however, it has been said that they are living happily ever after.


End file.
